of the Council of Safety, 1776. 527

Public business of the County will be thrown into some confu-
sion especially the collection; not above one fourth of w^c is
yet made, and consequently many of the public Creditors are
unpaid. If the Council of Safety think proper that I should
finish the collection, I propose putting it into the hands of M^r
Moses Galloway, who is a person of property & unexception-
able character. And I shall give him directions to apply
every shilling he collects to the payment of the County debts,
& I am content to wait for my own claim untill the others are
paid. Or if you think proper to take it out of my hands, I am
ready to settle an acco^t w^t the County; and if after deducting
my own claims which have been levied by the court, their
appears any ballance due by me, I am ready to pay it to any
person you direct. The last mode will be most agreeable to
me, I apprehend it will be necessary to publish some Resolve
on the subject, as too many of the people are ready to catch
at every excuse, & will not pay without something of this sort
is done. It has been said by some of my enemys since my
departure that I am considerably endebted to the County.
The contrary will appear to be the case upon examination.
For I am considerably in advance for 1775, and altho' I cannot
exactly say how the acco^t stands for the present year, yet from
the smallness of the collection I am pretty confident, that after
deducting my own claims, w^o were allow'd at the Levy Court,
little or nothing remains in my hands; which as I said before
I am able & willing to pay. It is necessary something should
be speedily done in this affair, & as you are much better
Judges of the mode than I can pretend to be, I shall say
nothing further on the subject. Please to favor me w^l an
answer by M^r Galloway, and believe me with much respect,
Gentlemen,
Your most obed^t hum^l Serv^t
Rob' Christie Jun^r

Saturday, December 14^th 1776.

Council met. Present as on yesterday.
Ordered That the Commissary of Stores deliver to Capt.
Thomas Conway sixty five Bushels of Salt.
Commission issued to Thomas M^cWilliams appointed Cap-
tain of marines on Board the Sloop Molly, Thomas Conway
Commander.
Copy of Letter N^o 58 was sent to Capt. Ignatius Taylor,
and Copy of N^o 59 to Brigadiers General Johnson, Buchanan
and Chamberlaine, and Col. Charles Rumsey respectively.
Ordered That Capt. Patterson be directed to send off with
all Dispatch all the Vessels he can procure, to the Head of
Elk or French Town, to bring down military Stores there

C.S.J.